Hello again! I’m urban fantasy author D. Lieber. Now, let’s talk about steampunk conventions!
In my last post, I talked a little about how I got into steampunk and some of the smaller steampunk activities I enjoy. Now, I want to get into the events steampunks look forward to all year.
You’ve been there, right? Waiting anxiously to hear the announcement about what the next year’s theme will be so you can start collecting bits and bobs for your cosplay?
Now I’m going to tell you about two steampunk conventions that I absolutely love. The first is Teslacon. Have you heard of it? I hope so! I’ve gone for the last few years now, and it has attendees from all over the world!
So here’s the deal. Teslacon is an immersive convention in Middleton, Wisconsin (that’s pretty much Madison). What the heck does that mean? It means that this convention goes all out. They decorate the hotel in whatever the theme is. There are sounds when you walk down the hallways. There’s also an overarching storyline with characters you’re encouraged to interact with throughout the event.
They have the same panels and lectures like most conventions, but they also have dances, huge main events, and a tea room. I don’t even have enough space to capture how awesome this convention is. I mean, they had robot dinosaurs when the theme was Journey to the Center of the Earth for crying out loud!
So, whether I’m an attendee or selling my books as a vendor, you will most certainly find me at Teslacon.
The other steampunk convention I’d like to recommend is the Chicago Steampunk Expo. This one is put on by the Cincinnati folks, and they really know what they’re doing. It has only run for one year (since year two was cancelled by the pandemic), but keep your eyes on this one!
But what if you can’t make it all the way here? No problem. Here’s the thing about steampunks. They. Are. Everywhere. Seriously. I’ve gone to comic cons, book cons, anime cons. Every single one of them had steampunks. I mean, who says you can’t wear your gear to the farmer’s market. Live your life, steampunks!
